(Newser)
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A single typo may have changed the course of history. In a massive report on the scale and method of Russian hacking from 1996 to the 2016 election, the New York Times reveals exactly how 10 years' worth of emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign chief were used against him. In the lead-up to the election, Russian hackers sent out hundreds of phishing emails to American politicians, pretending to be Google and warning the recipients that someone had logged into their account and they needed to change their password. One of those emails went to John Podesta, whose aide forwarded it on to a computer technician to see if it was actually from Google.

"This is a legitimate email," Clinton campaign technician Charles Delavan replied. "John needs to change his password immediately." Clicking the "change password" button in the email immediately gave hackers access to 60,000 or so of Podesta's emails, which promptly ended up on WikiLeaks and in the headlines. Delavan now says he knew the email was fake, as the campaign had gotten dozens of them. He says he meant to type "illegitimate." The Times reports Delavan has been "plagued" by his typo ever since. Read the full, fascinating piece—which includes the detail that a tech-support guy dragged his feet on investigating a cyberattack reported by the FBI because he thought the FBI agent might have been a prank caller—here. (Read more Russian hackers stories.)

Campaign technician eh? Sounds like he got the job on false pretences and actually knows no more about computer technology than your average seven year old and has proven to be their biggest liability.

Kangaroo

Dec 14, 2016 5:28 PM CST

Okay, let's understand this: Hillary Clinton decided to violate her oath as Secretary of State and "work" at her residence with HER OWN web server and using HER OWN unprotected email addresses to send and receive US Government communications and top security information! Then, after she said she did nothing wrong, she ran for President; John Podesta and ALL of her DNC accomplices also emailed using unsecured emails sent to and received from Hillary's unprotected email addresses. NOW, that Hillary LOST the ELECTION, ALL OF THE DNC ET AL are crying "FOUL." Pelosi's daughter, Pelosi, and ALL of the ALT LEFT are demanding reasons why THEY WERE HACKED and all of their DIRTY CAMPAIGN DEEDS and RACIST RANTS were exposed WHILE nothing illegal or embarrassing was exposed on the Republicans. Republicans didn't jeopardize their security and Republicans didn't try to compromise the American people at the American people's expense. Donald Trump had never worked in Government, but, yet, he knew well enough how to use safe, secured email provider. Donald only worked on becoming President, not how to screw his opponent like Hillary did. Bottom Line: They want an investigation and believe Russia is behind their hacked and exposed trash, when all the while, with Hillary's deliberate plan to keep her computer vulnerable, a 15 year old American or Russian or wherever could have hacked them. They used this exposure of their DNC email communications as their Plan C if they lost the election. Conclusion: Once this investigation to their hacking is concluded, it WILL BE PROVEN that Hillary needs to be charged criminally for her PROVEN CRIME of risking America's National Security during times when Ambassadors and Attaches were murdered by terrorists and we could have saved them!